Morgan Woodward

Morgan Woodward
Woodward as deputy Shotgun Gibbs from The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp, 1959
Born	Thomas Morgan Woodward (1925-09-16)September 16, 1925 Fort Worth, Texas, U.S.
Died	February 22, 2019(2019-02-22) (aged 93) Hollywood Hills, California, U.S.
Alma mater	University of Texas at Austin University of Texas at Arlington
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1956–1998
Spouse(s)	Enid Anne Loftis (1950-???)
Children	1
Military career
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Air Force
Battles/wars	World War II, Korean War

Thomas Morgan Woodward (September 16, 1925 – February 22, 2019) was an American actor, best known for his recurring role on the soap opera Dallas as Marvin "Punk" Anderson. He also played Boss Godfrey (the Walking Boss) in Cool Hand Luke (1967), the silent, sunglasses-wearing "man with no eyes", and he had the most guest appearances on Gunsmoke at 19 episodes.

Early years

Woodward was born in Fort Worth, Texas, the third of five sons of Dr. Valin Woodward and his wife, Frances McKinley. He grew up in Arlington, Texas, graduating from high school in 1944. After serving in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II, he enrolled at North Texas Agriculture College, where he was active in the theater. He graduated in 1948 with a Bachelor's of Business Administration in Finance. He went on to attend law school at the University of Texas at Austin. During that time he hosted a local radio talk show and sang with a barbershop quartet and a dance band.

Military service

Woodward was a member of the United States Army Air Corps during World War II. He flew his first plane at the age of 16 years. He returned to the military during the Korean War in the military air transport command.

Acting career

The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp

One of Woodward's longest television roles was in forty-two episodes between 1958 and 1961 on the ABC television series The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp as the deputy/sidekick "Shotgun" Gibbs. Woodward also made a dozen guest appearances on Wagon Train between 1958 and 1965.

In the 1966 episode "Hugh Glass Meets the Bear" of the syndicated anthology series, Death Valley Days, Woodward was cast as Thomas "Broken Hand" Fitzpatrick. John Alderson played Hugh Glass, who after being mauled by a bear and abandoned by Fitzpatrick crawled two hundred miles to civilization. Victor French portrayed Louis Baptiste, with Tris Coffin as Major Andrew Henry.

Star Trek

Woodward guest starred in two episodes of the original series of Star Trek as two different characters. In the first-season episode, "Dagger of the Mind" (1966), Woodward plays Dr. Simon van Gelder, a deputy director of a facility for the criminally insane.

In articles in the magazines Starlog and Entertainment Weekly, Woodward called the role of Dr. Simon Van Gelder the most physically and emotionally exhausting acting job of his career. He was cast in "The Omega Glory" in Star Trek's second season, playing Captain Ron Tracey.

Dallas

Woodward was a familiar face on the television drama series Dallas from 1980–1989. His recurring role was Marvin "Punk" Anderson. As the series progressed, Woodward's role became that of a trusted advisor to the Ewing sons.

Recording

In 1963, Woodward recorded "Heartache City" backed with "An Encouraging Word" (CRC Charter 15).

Death

Woodward died on February 22, 2019 at his Hollywood Hills house in California.

Recognition

In 2009, Woodward was inducted into the Hall of Great Western Performers at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. In 1986, he was inducted into the Order of West Range of Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity.

In 1988, he received the Golden Lariat Award at the National Western Film Festival for his contributions to the Western genre. He won the Golden Boot Award given by the Hollywood Motion Picture and Television Fund.

Selected filmography

Woodward appeared in more than 250 television shows and films throughout his acting career.

TV appearances

Woodward made many other television guest appearances, including:

• The Restless Gun (1958-1959, 3 episodes) - J.B. Cauter / Jubal Carney / Ben Cotterman
• The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp (1958–1961, 80 episodes) - Shotgun Gibbs
• Wagon Train (1958–1965, 12 episodes) - Clyde / Zach Ryker / Jute Pardee / Pocky / Ciel / Second Killer / Barney / Walt Keene / Chief Spotted Horse / Jubal Ash / Jupe / Ben Lafferty
• Days of Our Lives (1965) - Phillip Colville (1987-1988, 20 episodes)
• The Lucy Show (1966, as a cowboy with John Wayne) - Pierce
• Star Trek (1966–1968, 2 episodes) - Captain Tracey / Dr. Simon van Gelder
• Bonanza (1960–1971, 8 episodes) - Sheriff Clyde Morehouse / Jess Waddle / Will McNabb / Luke Catlin / Mike Gillis / McDermott / Deputy Sheriff Rick Conley / Sheriff Biggs
• Gunsmoke (1957–1974, 19 episodes) - Abraham Wakefield / Bear Sanderson / Lamoor Underwood / Walt Clayton / Luke Dangerfield / Quentin Sargent / Josh Stryker / Luke Brazo / Grant Lyle / Harl Townsend / Zack Johnson / Beaumont / Earl Miller / Ben Rucker / Sholo / Deeks / Calhoun
• Logan's Run (1977–1978, 3 episodes as "Morgan") - Morgan
• The Waltons (1974–1978, 2 episodes) - Boone Walton
• How the West Was Won (1978-1979, 4 episodes) - The Stranger / Henry Coe
• Fantasy Island (1979-1982, 4 episodes) - Uncle Jack / Nick Hall / Tribal Elder / Marshall Victor Grennan
• Hill Street Blues (1982, 5 episodes) - John Renko
• The Dukes of Hazzard' (1980–1984, 2 episodes) - 1: The season 2 episode "Mason Dixon's Girls", in which he played a drug lord named Dempsy, and 2: The seventh-season episode "Cool Hands Luke & Bo". where he spoofed his character of Boss Godfrey, as Colonel Cassius Claiborne.
• The Fall Guy (1982-1985, 2 episodes) - LV Vernon / Reuben
• The A-team (1983–1987, 2 episodes, as Bus Carter in the 2nd season 2 part episode "When you comin Back Range Rider" and as Captain Winnetka in the season 3 episode "Showdown")
• Dallas (1980–1987, 55 episodes) - Marvin "Punk" Anderson (oilman and best friend of Jock Ewing)
• The X-Files (Aubrey) (1995) - Old Harry Cokely
• Millennium (1997) - Iron Lung Man

Film appearances

• The Great Locomotive Chase (1956) - Alex
• Slaughter on Tenth Avenue (1957) - Tilly Moore (uncredited)
• The Gun Hawk (1963) - Deputy 'Mitch' Mitchell
• The Sword of Ali Baba (1965) - Captain of Guard (uncredited)
• Gunpoint (1966) - Drago Leon
• Cool Hand Luke (1967) - Boss Godfrey
• Firecreek (1968) - Willard
• Death of a Gunfighter (1969) - Ivan Stanek
• The Wild Country (1970) - Ab Cross
• Yuma (1971) - Arch King (TV Movie)
• One Little Indian (1973) - Sgt. Raines
• The Midnight Man (1974) - Phillip Clayborne
• The Killing of a Chinese Bookie (1976) - The Boss
• A Small Town in Texas (1976) - C.J. Crane
• Supervan (1977) - T.B. Trenton
• Moonshine County Express (1977) - Sweetwater
• Walking Tall: Final Chapter (1977) - The Boss
• Speedtrap (1977) - Hogan
• Which Way Is Up? (1977) - Mr. Mann
• Battle Beyond the Stars (1980) - Cayman
• Girls Just Want to Have Fun (1985) - J.P. Sands
• Gunsmoke: To the Last Man (1992) - Sheriff Abel Rose (TV Movie)

External links

• Morgan Woodward at the Internet Movie Database
• Morgan Woodward at AllMovie
• Morgan Woodward at Find a Grave
• Official website